Friendly Support
by lezonne
Summary: Harry and Ron can get through anything, even the anniversary of the war. Written for the A-Maze-Ing Race Challenge #4, the Fanfiction Terms Category Challenge prompt OTP, the Diversity Genre Boot Camp prompt #5 and the Holiday Spirit: Christmas Boot Camp prompt #27.


Written for the _A-Maze-Ing Race Challenge _ #4 (screen), the _Fanfiction Terms Category Challenge _prompt OTP, the _Diversity Genre Boot Camp _prompt #5 (horrible) and the _Holiday Spirit: Christmas Boot Camp _prompt #27 (party).

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Friendly Support

Even after everything, Ron still went to find Harry. Just like their blowout sixth year he said some cruel things, things that seemed to stab Harry in the back. They were attending the celebration for the one year anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts and the defeat of Voldemort, yet Harry couldn't be in a worse mood. He was still emotionally tied to all the people that were killed. He alone felt responsible for each and every one of them.

Hermione and Ron both knew he wasn't the type of person to accept help easily. Even Ginny had a hard time getting through to him. He'd placed an invisible screen between him and his friends in the past few weeks, separating him from those he cared about. Hermione speculated that he did this in order to try and steel his emotions for this very night. Ron assumed she was right.

That didn't mean that he controlled his temper well. He still blew up at Harry, causing issues like usual. And Harry stormed away from the party, leaving his wife alone and the majority of the guests wondering what had gotten under his skin.

Ron felt like a prick, he really did. He shouldn't have said those things. This was a hard day for Harry, for all of them, and he should've thought about people's feelings more instead of blowing up at his best friend. Now, he had ventured outside to make things right.

"Hey," he said when he finally found his friend. Harry had ventured off into the gardens of the party hall, away from the crowd. He was sitting on a cold concrete bench.

"Hey," Harry responded, letting off a sigh. "I'm glad you decided to leave the party."

"Yeah, I had to talk to you," Ron agreed, sitting beside his friend. "Look, I'm sorry for what I said. It was majorly out of line. I know I can't take it back but-"

"It's okay Ron," Harry interjected, shaking his head. "We're all high on emotion tonight. We might be celebrating with a party but there's nothing to be overly eccentric about. People died a year ago fighting against one person, and now he's dead too. But look at all the death he caused along the way."

"I know," the ginger muttered, rubbing his head. His thoughts instantly flew to Fred, and that still stung. Even after a year he sometimes forgot that his brother was never coming home again. Truth be told, it was rather heartbreaking.

"All those people shouldn't have died," he sighed, running fingers through his hair. "So many lives shouldn't have been lost. Our friends Ron- our friends should still be here. But they're not."

"Harry, the people that died fighting died for something they believed in. They gave their lives willingly, and they would be proud to see the world today, free from Voldemort. They didn't die in vain."

"Sometimes it feels like it," he sighed. "I guess this anniversary just brings up bad memories. It's supposed to be a joyous time, but really it's hard to be joyful. You try, but then you just end up missing the people who are gone."

"I know what you mean. But Harry, there's an entire group of people inside who expect a speech from you. You're the hero of our time. Whether you like it or not, you have to do the speech."

"I think I'd rather just go home and hide. It's hard to speak about such sensitive topics when you get so emotional."

"I bet. It has to be horrible. But Ginny's going to start worrying, and Hermione's boring the people to death with fact and fact about… _everything_. You're going to be the light in that room tonight that reminds people why they still have hope and faith even after terrible things have happened. They need you, and they need to hear you speak."

Harry sighed. "Do you think the public will ever stop needing me? Do you ever think that I'll be able to lead a normal life?"

"Voldemort's gone now. The public won't need you to defeat him again. You went into a job in law, not an Auror career. There are Auror's and people who chose that path in life to continue keeping Britain safe. You had your time Harry, but eventually the media will let you go. New stories will come, and even if you can never be forgotten, you will fade slowly but surely into a regular person. People will still respect you."

"At least there's hope," he mutters. "I wouldn't drag your sister into a life of publicity and constant paparazzi."

"She'd go along with it anyway," Ron replied with a smile, patting his friend on the back. "She'd go anywhere with you."

"I thought you might say something like that."

Ron grinned. "Just don't do anything stupid and I won't have to kill you," he joked, standing. "Come on, we can't hide out here forever."

Harry sighed, standing as well. Together they headed back towards the lively party. "Do you think after my speech I might be able to slip out?"

"Maybe. Hermione and I were thinking about trying that. If not just wait an hour or so and I'm sure you'll be able to."

"A whole hour? That's an entire additional hour that I don't really want to spend here."

Ron clasped his friend on the shoulder. "But you will if you have to. Trust me Harry, things will die down overtime. You just have to be patient and wait."

The man rolled his eyes, shaking his head at his friend. Of course, it was easier said than done. And Harry was the one who would actually have to go through with it.

Oh well. Worse comes to worse, he'd force Ron to hang around until he could leave too. That sounded like a fair trade among friends.


End file.
